Elizabeth "Neal" Forsling Newspapers and Jean Gallatin Ogilbee Photo Album

Born in 1889, Elizabeth “Neal” (Paxton) Forsling was originally from Missouri. After a failed marriage she took her two daughters, Mary (Martin) and Jean (Gallatin Ogilbee), to Wyoming where met and married Jim Forsling. After Jim Forsling’s untimely death in 1942, Neal continued to live in their cabin on Casper Mountain painting, writing stories and poetry, and caring for neighboring ranchers until her death in 1977. Upon her death, 90 acres of her land on Casper Mountain was donated as the Crimson Dawn Park. The Midsummer’s Eve Festival still occurs at the park every year, an event that was first conceived by Forsling in the 1920s for her family and friends to celebrate the end of winter at her home and on her property with stories and treats. The event continued and expanded after her death, drawing many locals to Forsling's property on Casper Mountain each year. Her daughter Mary and later Rebecca Weaver Hunt, would take over her duties as storyteller at this event.

Her daughter Jean Gallatin Ogilbee (1920-1982) was a member of the U.S. Air Force, stationed at Hickman Air Force Base. In 1957 she participated as a Captain in “Bob Hope’s Christmas GI Show,” which often toured to entertain servicemen abroad. For this tour, the locales chosen were Pacific countries such as Hawaii, Guam, Japan, Korea, China, and India. Her mother, Neal Forlsing, joined her on this tour.